Pro Sports Blogging » Andrew Whalenhttp://www.prosportsblogging.com
24/7 Real Sports TalkTue, 28 Jul 2015 02:53:39 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2A Few Bold Predictionshttp://www.prosportsblogging.com/2012/07/30/a-few-bold-predictions/
http://www.prosportsblogging.com/2012/07/30/a-few-bold-predictions/#commentsMon, 30 Jul 2012 18:37:14 +0000Andrew Whalenhttp://www.prosportsblogging.com/?p=86999With training camps now under way, this season looms large for the New York Jets. After making a blockbuster move to acquire Tim Tebow, there will be even more media attention directed towards the Jets, both on and off the field. The pressure that will be on the Jets to succeed will be greater now [...]]]>

With training camps now under way, this season looms large for the New York Jets. After making a blockbuster move to acquire Tim Tebow, there will be even more media attention directed towards the Jets, both on and off the field. The pressure that will be on the Jets to succeed will be greater now because if they don’t, they might lose much of their fan base. With that said, these are some predictions that I think will happen with the Jets this year.

Prediciton #1: Mark Sanchez throws for 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns this year. In a response to the acquisition of Tebow, Sanchez will step up and show everybody that he was drafted to be the franchise quarterback, and he will not be upstaged by some celebrity who throws like a 6 year-old girl. Now that Santonio Holmes isn’t fighting with Sanchez and the rest of his teammates, he can stay focused on football and live up to the potential that he showed while he was in Pittsburgh.

Prediction #2: Dustin Keller has 1,000 yards and 8 TD’s. In the last three years, Keller has shown that he is Sanchez’s favorite target. He lead the Jets in receiving yards last year, as well as catching 5 touchdown passes. He has 120 receptions the last two years, and those numbers will continue to grow. The loss of Plaxico Burress will give Keller more looks in the red zone (most of Burress’ TD’s last year were on jump balls in the red zone). He will continue to be a presence in the middle of the field and in the red zone, and will get more passes thrown his way in 2012.

Prediction #3: Tim Tebow runs for 12 or more touchdowns this year out of the Wildcat. With new offensive coordinator Tony Sporano in charge, the Jets Wildcat offense will be used much more. Tebow is the perfect player to be quarterback in the Wildcat. He has the speed to run the ball, but has the arm strength to throw a bomb downfield. With that double-threat, he will be able to take advantage of opposing defenses, especially in the red zone where he can do the quarterback sneak that he likes to do.

Prediction #4: Shonn Greene will not rush for more than 4 touchdowns this year, even though he goes over the 1,000 yard mark again. Finally, after three positive predictions, this one is a bit towards the negative side. With the arrival of Tim Tebow, Greene will see his goal line carries diminish, especially when Tebow is in and is running the Wildcat. Unless Greene starts breaking off long touchdown runs (which he hasn’t done since the playoff game vs. San Diego in 2010), he will be visiting the end zone less and less.

Prediction #5: The Jets defense will once again be in top five in rushing yards allowed, yards allowed, and touchdowns. They made some moves this offseason, acquiring two safeties. Yeremiah Bell followed Tony Sporano to New York. Bell led the Dolphins in tackles the last four years, and the Jets are hoping he can bring his skills to the Jets secondary. LaRon Landry came over from the Redskins this offseason. He missed much of the last two seasons due to injuries of his Achillies and heel. Seeing what he has done when he is healthy, he can improve the Jets secondary as well. The Jets used their first round draft pick on North Carolina DE Quinton Coples, who had a great junior year but not so good a senior year in college, but was still one of the top three DE in the draft. He and second year player Muhammad Wilkerson should help the Jets D generate a better pass rush than last year.

These five predicitons are just a few bold guesses that I think will happen this year. What really happens this year is up to the Jets, and to see how well all of their players perform in the spotlight of New York.

]]>http://www.prosportsblogging.com/2012/07/30/a-few-bold-predictions/feed/2Sanchize vs. Tebowmaniahttp://www.prosportsblogging.com/2012/07/18/sanchize-vs-tebowmania/
http://www.prosportsblogging.com/2012/07/18/sanchize-vs-tebowmania/#commentsWed, 18 Jul 2012 23:21:28 +0000Andrew Whalenhttp://www.prosportsblogging.com/?p=86601This offseason, the New York Jets made a trade with the Denver Broncos to acquire QB Tim Tebow for fourth and sixth round draft picks. This trade sparked much controversy about who would be the starting quarterback going into the 2012 season. Mark Sanchez is going into his fourth year in the NFL, and has [...]]]>

This offseason, the New York Jets made a trade with the Denver Broncos to acquire QB Tim Tebow for fourth and sixth round draft picks.

This trade sparked much controversy about who would be the starting quarterback going into the 2012 season. Mark Sanchez is going into his fourth year in the NFL, and has good success his first three years. In his first 2 seasons, he led the Jets to back-to-back AFC championship appearances. Last year was a dissapointment to himself and Jets fans (like myself) everywhere. The Jets failed to make the postseason, finishing the 2011-2012 season at a mediocre 8-8. Not to mention the biggest story-line at the end of the season, when Santonio Holmes told reporters that he was not happy with Sanchez and his “special after-hours sessions” preparing for a game against the Dolphins. He was benched by offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer halfway through the fourth quarter of the Jets last game.

But back to the Sanchize vs. Tebowmania controversy. The controversy over the two quarterbacks being on the same team is who the starter will be in 2012. Head coach Rex Ryan has said numerous times that it will be Sanchez, and Tebow will be used in the Jets new Wildcat offense, which under new offensive coordinator Tony Sporano, should flourish.

What I think will be the biggest concern with this particular situation is what would happen if Sanchez struggles at the beginning of the year. Rex Ryan will feel pressured to make a decision that he doesn’t want to make. The fans will want Tebow in at quarterback so they can have “God’s chosen one” taking the snap. But Ryan will hesitate due to the fact that he repeated numerous times that the Jets are going to stick with Sanchez, who is their franchise quarterback.

With training camps starting in less than a week, the pressure to decide who will be the opening day starter for the Jets looms closer than expected. I feel that the coaching staff will stick with what they have previously said, which means that Sanchez will be the starter. This addition of Tebow could be a great addition to the Jets, who are going back to their “ground and pound” style of football. In the Wildcat offense, he has the speed of a running back, and can take off downfield with blockers ahead of him, but he also has the arm of a quarterback that he can use against the defense. It is much harder for the defense to guard both the rush and the passing threat on the same play.

After the season is over, I think the Jets will be happy that they made the move to acquire Tebow, because of the opportunities that open up just having him on the field. All in all, there should be no problem with the Jets quarterbacks this year.

]]>http://www.prosportsblogging.com/2012/07/18/sanchize-vs-tebowmania/feed/1Good as Newhttp://www.prosportsblogging.com/2012/02/29/good-as-new/
http://www.prosportsblogging.com/2012/02/29/good-as-new/#commentsWed, 29 Feb 2012 18:12:39 +0000Andrew Whalenhttp://www.prosportsblogging.com/?p=76554Alex Rodriguez reported to Yankees camp on Saturday in Tampa feeling as good as he had in years. One other athlete had something to do with that, but which athlete helped him feel this good? Rodriguez has been on a decline since his MVP season in 2007, there’s no doubt about it. After 2007, his [...]]]>

Alex Rodriguez reported to Yankees camp on
Saturday in Tampa feeling as good as he had in years. One other athlete had
something to do with that, but which athlete helped him feel this good?

Rodriguez has been on a decline since his
MVP season in 2007, there’s no doubt about it. After 2007, his HR’s have
dropped from 54(07) to 35(08) to 30(09+10) down to just 16 in 2011, going along
with a dropping slugging percentage that was at .573(08) to .532(09) to .506(10)
and a career low .461 in 2011. Age is a key factor in his performance as well.
He turns 37 this July and looks to be out of his prime according to the stats
he has put up the last 5 years.

Rodriguez has also found himself on the DL
quite a few times since his MVP season. In between the 2008-2009 seasons, he
found that he had a torn labrum in his hip, and decided to undergo arthroscopic
surgery that took 6-9 weeks to get back into
playing shape, instead of the usual three to four months. Although the
procedure allowed him to make it through the season without any problems, he needed
a second, more extensive surgery in the off-season. In the 2010 season, he was
voted to the all-star team but instead Rodriguez chose arthroscopic surgery on
his knee to repair a torn meniscus that limited his power. In 2011, Rodriguez had
a MRI exam done that showed a slight tear in the cartilage. He chose to have
surgery, and missed 6 weeks of the season.

This knee injury limited Rodriguez all of
the 2011 season, only allowing him to play in 99 games, while snapping his
streak of seasons with 30HR’s and 100RBI’s. This knee injury plagued him
throughout the rest of the 2011 season, even after the
surgery. It limited his power, and he knew that he was going to have to have
something done in the off-season if he wanted to be the same again. In the 2011
off-season, Rodriguez chose to go to Germany and have special treatment on his right knee and left shoulder in Germany. Rodriguez had plasma rich platelet injections after
receiving recommendation about this procedure from Lakers forward Kobe Bryant. Rodriguez
went to the Yankees front office about this procedure, and they approved. MLB
and WADA approved this procedure, and also said it is available in the US, but
Rodriguez went to Germany because the doctor is one of the best at performing
this.

On Saturday, when Rodriguez
got to the press conference he told the media that he wants to play 3rd
base this year for the Yankees and said he wants to play, “north of 145, 150 games and let the chips fall where they may” not meaning all of them at 3rd
base, but some as DH as well. This is a good sign for the Yankees, because their
slugging 3rd baseman has not had the power numbers that they would
want him to have in the last few years. “I’m not saying that I’m going to
go out and play 150 games at third base,” said Rodriguez, who played just
89 games at third last season and hasn’t played 150 games since his MVP year in
2007, when he played 154. Then the media asked him a variety of topics,
including Jeremy Lin. He said, “If he’s still looking for a place to crash,
maybe he can crash at my apartment. Imagine the tabloids then.”

Coming into spring training this year,
Rodriguez, the Yankees, and all of their fans have high hopes for Rodriguez.
Bryant, who recommended the surgery, said it made him feel like a 27-year-old
again. These are the types of results that Rodriguez is looking for. My
prediction for Rodriguez this year is that his numbers will improve back to the
numbers he was posting in the 2007 and 2008 seasons. He has Mark Teixeira
hitting in front of him, and will likely see some good pitches due to the up
and coming Robinson Cano behind him. I believe that Rodriguez will hit around
.285 with 30-35HR’s and about 115 RBI’s, which is an improvement from the last
few years, where he barely reached those marks if he did at all. As long as the
Yankees keep a careful eye of Rodriguez and make sure that he doesn’t wear himself
again, then Rodriguez will stay a key part of the Yankee line-up, and still one
of the most feared hitters in the game.

]]>http://www.prosportsblogging.com/2012/02/29/good-as-new/feed/0Too Much Pitching?http://www.prosportsblogging.com/2012/02/27/too-much-pitching/
http://www.prosportsblogging.com/2012/02/27/too-much-pitching/#commentsTue, 28 Feb 2012 02:23:55 +0000Andrew Whalenhttp://www.prosportsblogging.com/?p=76492Pitchers and catchers reported to George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, FL, last Saturday to kick off spring training for the New York Yankees, who look to capture their 28th World Championship in franchise history. The big question heading into spring training this year for the Yankees is who is going to be in their starting [...]]]>

Pitchers and catchers reported to George M.
Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, FL, last Saturday to kick off spring training for
the New York Yankees, who look to capture their 28th World Championship
in franchise history.

The big question heading into spring
training this year for the Yankees is who is going to be in their starting rotation.
After last year, in which their rotation and bullpen were plagued with
injuries, including key losses of Phil Hughes, Damaso Marte, and Joba
Chamberlain (remember him?) the Yankees acquired some players to strengthen
their pitching staff in 2012.

The Yankees made a trade with the Seattle
Mariners this off-season to acquire Michael Piñeda in exchange for one of their
best prospects, catcher Jesus Montero along with right handed pitcher Hector
Noesi. Piñeda, the 22-year-old, went 9-10 with a 3.74 ERA for the Mariners as a
rookie last season. The Yankees hope that Piñeda can add some youth to a
pitching staff that includes C.C. Sabathia, Ivan Nova, Phil Hughes, and newly
acquired Hiroki Kuroda.

The same day that the Yankees acquired Piñeda,
they also made a splash in free agency, picking up ex-Dodger right hander,
Hiroki Kuroda. Kuroda, who is a veteran pitcher, plans to give some leadership
and experience to a young back half of the rotation (Phil Hughes-25, Ivan
Nova-25, and Piñeda-22.) Kuroda had a career low 3.07 ERA to go along with a
career high 161 K’s in 202 innings pitched last year. Just hours after the
Yankees acquired Piñeda, Kuroda signed a 1-year, $10 million contract. The
Yankees hope that his consistent arm (lower than 3.74 ERA 4 years in a row) can
back up Sabathia in the rotation.

Just this week, the Yankees dealt right
handed pitcher A.J. Burnett to the Pirates in exchange for 2 minor leaguers,
right-handed reliever Diego Moreno, and outfielder Exicardo Cayones. Both
prospects played in Class A ball last year. In 3 seasons with the Yankees,
Burnett has posted a mediocre 34-35 record with a 4.79 ERA. In 13 seasons with
the Yankees, Blue Jays, and Marlins, Burnett is 121-111 with a 4.10 ERA. The
Pirates agreed to pay $13 million of Burnett’s $31.1 million contract, which
leaves the Yankees to pay the remaining $18 million. Getting rid of Burnett
could be the best deal that the Yankees made this off-season, due to the money
they were wasting on Burnett while he put up numbers that a Double-A player
could post.

After Burnett was traded to the Pirates, 6
pitchers were left to compete for the 5 starting slots in the rotation. These
pitchers include Sabathia, Piñeda, Kuroda, Hughes, Nova, and Freddy Garcia, who
was overlooked last year but posted solid numbers while in the rotation.
Manager Joe Girardi has already said that Sabathia will be the opening day
starter, but after that is up for grabs. I predict that the rotation to start
the year for the Yankees will be Sabathia, Piñeda, Kuroda, Hughes, and Nova.
Garcia will transfer to the bullpen, and will become the long reliever for the
days that starters don’t have their best stuff.

Leading the staff for the Yankees is
veteran C.C. Sabathia. Sabathia has been the most consistent starter for the
Yankees the last few years. Last year Sabathia went 19-8 with a 3.00 ERA, 230
K’s, and a 1.23 WHIP. He has been the horse in the rotation since he came into
the league, averaging 237 innings pitched per season. Already with 1 Cy Young
award under his belt, Sabathia placed 4th in Cy Young voting in
2011, 3rd in 2010, and 4th in 2009 since joining the
Yankees in 2009. His consistent effort has helped the Yankees stay atop the AL
East for the years he has been on the team. Heading into this season, Sabathia
has said that his arm feels as good as ever, and that he is ready to help his
team win another World Series.

One of the most underrated players on the
Yankees is 2nd year player Ivan Nova. Nova was called up from
Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Bares to replace Phil Hughes when he went on the DL
with a dead arm. Nova did more than fill in for Hughes, he went above and
beyond what he was called to do. Nova went 16-4 last year with a 3.70 ERA in
165.1 innings pitched and 98 strikeouts. He gave the bullpen a break on the
nights that he pitched, by averaging 6 innings per start. Nova stepping up and
filling in the part of the rotation that he was called to do helped the Yankees
win the division and make it into the playoffs. He will be a key part to the
rotation this year because he could be the glue to keep them together.

As I said before, the biggest problem
heading into spring training for the Yankees is too much pitching. This problem
can be called a good problem, because you would rather have too much pitching
than not enough, right? But on April 6th, when the Yankees go down
to Tampa to take on the Rays on opening night, the Yankees will have a starting
rotation that, combined with their offense, should help them to stay as one of
the elite teams in the MLB.